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Spymonkey’s genius new interpretation of Herman Merville’s ‘Moby Dick’, tells the story of Tony Parks, a man with an ambition to recreate the great novel on stage. The cast of four throw themselves into this challenge, creating a piece that is wildly entertaining for the audience, but extremely frustrating for Tony Parks.
Spymonkey’s cast of four, made up of Aitro Basauri, Petra Massey, Toby Park and Stephen Kreiss, were all in my opinion, equally hilarious. It’s delightful to see actors give way to simple childness silliness. I found Basauri, in the role of Ishmael, was particularly endearing and interacted well with the audience.
Massey, as the only female in the cast, had a number of marvellous roles, but it has to be said that favourite was the mermaid figure head who sung a jolly, although slightly crude, song about how she wished she was fertile which had everyone erupting with laughter.
I absolutely loved the set. With so many performances going for the simple staging lately, it was great to see half a boat and sail on stage at the Wolsey. It seemed completely real, the only thing missing being the salty tang of the ocean. Just a glance of the blue and green lights made me feel wet, they enhanced the feel of the sea even further. I especially enjoyed the lighting effects during the storm scene.
Directed by Jos Houben, Moby Dick is the antithesis of what you would expect when watching a stage adaptation of a classic novel, it’s quirky, cheeky and downright funny. I suspect that for the next several days I will find myself laughing outloud, much to the confusion of people around me.
This production of Moby Dick would not be suitable for children under the age of twelve, but I suggest if you are an adult longing to get in touch with your inner silly child, go and book a ticket.
Lori Thurston
East Bergholt High School
9th October 2009
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